Monday, June 23, 2014

Called to Ministry

Are you called to ministry?  I will be using the blog to communicate with a number of people in our church who fell God's call to full-time, vocational ministry.  I will be posting entries that focus on ministry because your calling is important.  I want you to have ministry input from your pastor.

If you are called to any type of ministry, you are called to preach, teach, proclaim, and dispense the Word of God.  If God called you to rodeo ministry, are you called to rope, leather, cows and belt buckles?  No, but you might love those things a lot.  Military chaplains are not called to guns, helicopters and rockets.  Kids ministers are not called to games and water balloons.  Youth pastors are not called to car washes.  Disaster relief missionaries are not called to trucks, water filters and MREs.

When you are called to ministry you are called to encourage people to accept Jesus Christ as Lord.  To accomplish your mission, no matter what your calling, you have to know the Word of God.  You will use the tools that pertain to your specific calling; a motor cycle missionary better have a bike.  But more importantly, he better know the Word.

If you are called to ministry, I challenge you to become a serious student of the Word of God.  First, read it.  Its that simple.  Every person called by God should read the Bible through every year at least one time.  If you are a student, use this summer to get started.  Second, look for ways to study the Bible.  If you will get serious about your calling, I will get you the Bible study materials you need.  I can get correspondence courses, and online video studies to you.  Please ask.

Many of you at LSC are called to ministry.  I want you to make a huge impact on your world.  I am prying for you!

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

God Loves You

I was thinking this morning about difficult things that people are going through.  Surgery.  Sickness.  Loss of a family member.  Trouble at work.  The list of things that I find myself praying about concerning others is getting very long.  What would I need in any of these types of troubles?  The most important thing is the most foundational thing.  I need to know that God loves me. 

You need to know today, that God loves you.  You may have messed up, making your situation worse with poor choices, God still loves you.  You may be sinning in your reaction to your problems, God still loves you.  You may be totally confused by trouble you had not part in creating, God still loves you.

God loves you and has a plan for your life to be purposeful and full of his powerful presence.  We miss the mark a lot, but God's love still stands firm for you and me.  Do your best to follow God today.  If you strive for anything, strive for perfection and understanding of his Word.  Why?  Because you have to earn God's love?  No!  Because no matter what happens, no matter what, God will always love you.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Back to the Blog

I have been out of touch with the blog!  For the last 18 months our church has been in a relocation process.  Since relocation, we have become very busy with some very blessed new growth.  I am thankful.  With a new level of growth and work, I will begin using the blog for further discipleship training and training for people who feel called to ministry.  This has been heavy on my heart for months.  This blog will be a good use of an old tool to get information to people who want to grow in Christ or grow in ministry.  I will try to focus the blog in these two directions in the near future.